I had been in jail for two and a half months when I learned that my breast cancer would necessitate a mastectomy. And I would have to do it alone: no pink pillows, no encouraging cards, no special foods. No comfort, period.

Breast cancer advocates see the Affordable Care Act as a huge win for Black women, for whom breast cancer is the second most common cancer. But improving access won’t address our fear and the stigma associated with illness and poverty; stories of survival can.

While a federal court may have found “I Love Boobies” bracelets protected under the First Amendment, so students can wear them to school, the court of public opinion still takes issue with such campaigns—many people find them toxic to the overall breast cancer conversation.